


The Admiral's Birthday

by CelticGrace



Series: Bex [3]
Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Birthday Fluff, F/M, Romantic Fluff, features a brief appearance by Kaidan Alenko
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-05
Updated: 2020-10-05
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:21:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26829541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CelticGrace/pseuds/CelticGrace
Summary: Bex decides to surprise Hackett for his birthday.
Relationships: Steven Hackett/Female Shepard
Series: Bex [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1951768
Comments: 7
Kudos: 8





	The Admiral's Birthday

**Author's Note:**

> Fictober Prompt #2: "that's the easy part"
> 
> Many thanks to [AlyssAlenko](https://archiveofourown.org/users/alyssalenko) for the idea for this fic
> 
> Part of the Head Over Tattered Sneakers universe

Pacing the length of the platform where her shuttle was due to arrive, Bex shifted the garment bags on her shoulder as she glanced at the clock over the ticket counter for the fourth time in what turned out to be as many minutes. If the blasted shuttle didn’t hurry up, the whole plan was going to be for nothing.

She’d worked with Morgan Carmichael for ages to come up with a way to surprise Hackett for his birthday. She’d bought tickets to his favorite opera and gotten reservations at the restaurant where they’d had their extremely belated wedding party. 

The planning, that was the easy part.

Getting him to leave the office, even on his birthday, was going to be a struggle. Her birthday? No problem since he usually stayed home that day—most years, it was the only way she remembered it herself. 

The loudspeaker dinged. “Next shuttle to Alliance Military block, London, arriving in two minutes.” 

_Fucking finally._

The dock was so bloated with people, it was another ten minutes before the damn shuttle took off again.

_What if he has a meeting he can’t get out of? What if he’s really already left by the time this goddamn slow ass shuttle finally gets to London? What if…_

A thousand and one potential disasters cycled through her mind for the duration of the flight. By the time the shuttle landed, she was close to passing out from the stress of it all.

_This is why surprises are a bad idea. Always._

Keeping her head down, she concentrated only on her destination, the building at the far end of the block, where Hackett’s office was. She was glad of the crowded streets, giving her a bit of distraction from the torment in her head. 

The building was beginning to empty and she had the elevator to herself—no one wanted to go all the way to the top floor when they were on their way out the door. She tapped the button for the 11th floor impatiently, willing the car to move faster, but it only seemed to slow down even more. 

_Bloody ridiculous. Might as well be back on the goddamn Normandy._

By the time the elevator reached the top floor, she’d just about resigned herself to living in the damn thing.

She knew Hackett’s newest yeoman had already gone—he’d nearly bowled her over as she walked into the building, apologizing profusely as he backed away from her.

Now, she sat in his chair, feet propped up on his desk. Before he’d nearly tripped over himself trying to get away, he’d mentioned Hackett was in an important meeting. Any other day, she’d probably have tried to sneak in, distract him in some way. But today, she merely sat back and waited, luxuriating in the thought that she was actually going to be able to pull this off.

She’d nearly nodded off when the door to Hackett’s office finally opened and he walked out of the room, chatting with Kaidan.

“Well, Davis certainly failed to mention your important meeting was with Councelor Alenko,” Bex said, startling them both.

“Your yeoman looks familiar somehow,” Kaidan said, laughing when she stuck her tongue out at him. 

“Wasn’t aware councelors were allowed to have a sense of humor,” she retorted. “Nice to see you, K. It’s been awhile.”

“Too long.” He nodded to Hackett and turned toward the outer door. “I’ve taken enough of your time, Admiral. I’m sure you’d like to get on with celebrating your birthday.”

“I’m sure we’ll see you again soon,” Hackett said, waving Kaidan out the door and locking it behind him. He groaned as he leaned against the wall beside the door and undid the top few buttons on his shirt. “I can’t remember a longer or more boring meeting.” He glanced over at Bex. “You, my love, are the one bright spot in this otherwise dreary day, though I admit I’m surprised to see you, especially so late in the day.”

“It was Morgan’s idea for me to come down, in case you got any bright ideas about working late tonight.”

“Is that so?”

“Mhm.” She walked to the other side of the desk and perched on the corner of it. “Had planned to use all my tricks to get you to quit on time.”

“And why was it so important I not be late tonight?” He closed the space between them in two long strides and bent down to kiss her. “Hi.”

She grinned against his lips. “Hi.” Reluctantly, she pulled away to open her omni-tool, showing him the tickets and reservation. “I just didn’t want you to miss out on celebrating your birthday.”

“You didn’t have to do all this, Rebekah.”

She smiled. “I know. It’s just… making up for the birthdays we missed celebrating during the war, and before that, when I was off chasing Collectors and… other scum.” 

“I see.”

“I was worried you’d be in a long meeting or just get bogged down in reading boring reports or something.” She glanced at the time on her omni-tool and hopped off the desk. “But you’re in luck. Since I brought my dress and your tux, and you have a shower in your office, we’ve enough time for me to give you your _other_ present.”

“Oh? And what might that be?”

She bit her lip and crooked a finger at him as she slowly walked backwards toward the inner office. “You’ll have to follow me to find out, though it might make us a little late for the opera.”

He paused a moment in the doorway to watch her undress before he stepped into the room and closed the door. “No, my love, I think we’re going to be _very_ late for the opera.”


End file.
